Abstract
ABSTRACTPhotodynamic Therapy (PDT) represents a most attractive therapeutic strategy to reduce side effects of chemotherapy and improve the global quality of life of patients. Yet, many PDT drugs suffer from a poor bioavailability and cellular intake, and thus, drug delivery strategy should be implemented. In this letter we report the behavior of a temoporfin-based PDT drug, commercialized under the name of Foscan, complexed by two ?-cyclodextrin units in presence of a lipid bilayer. Our all atom simulations have shown the internalization of the complex and its spontaneous dissociation inside the lipid bilayer. The factors favoring penetration and dissociation have also been analyzed, together with the membrane perturbation due to the interaction with the cyclodextrin complex. Our results confirm the suitability of the encapsulation strategy for PDT, and rationalize the experimental results concerning its efficacy.TOC GRAPHICS
Publisher
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory